CHAPTER 30

Lyra had kissed, hugged and said goodbye to everyone. Brienne of Tarth had decided to go with her on her journey back to Bear Island. She wanted to learn more about the woman who she found amazingly different.

The travel time back to Deepwood Motte was twelve days and her ship was waiting for them. Lyra got Brienne a room of her own with all of the blankets and comforts needed for the full day's trip back to Bear Island. She had her come to her master's cabin and eat her meals with her and Shireen.

Brienne was eating dinner with Lyra and asked, "So, you are saying that this was your home and ship? You were a merchant before meeting your Lord husband?"

Lyra nodded and said, "Yes, I had met him once before in Lannisport four years earlier and was quite fond of him. You know men, in less than a day he made a fool of himself. He messed up everything, making me angry with him enough to walk away."

Brienne asked, smiling big and interested, "What happened then?"

Lyra sighed and smiled, "It took four years to run into him again at Winterfell by chance. He stuck himself to me and did everything he could to possibly make up to me. He's a sweet man and a sweet talker. We fell in love this time."

Brienne said smiling, "So you went back to Bear Island with him?"

Lyra laughed, shaking her head and said, "Not quite. I had to return to White Harbor and sail around Westeros for four months to get to Bear Island. It gave him time to miss me." Lyra giggled. Brienne smiled. Shireen was listening wanting to know everything about her new mother.

Brienne asked, "What did you do when you got there?"

Lyra smirked winking at her, "We didn't leave his room until the next day. He missed me terribly. Then a month later we went to see his father at Castle Black. The maester was put to work proving my lineage. My parents ran away together and got married in White Harbor because of family issues. That's why my name was Wyldwood instead of Wylde. My mother was a Blackwood, hence the Wyldwood."

Brienne asked curiously, "What did his father think of an independent woman like you?"

Lyra snickered and said, "Let's just say, after the visit, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont told me he loved me as his good daughter. See, I bought and paid for a complete twenty wagons full of supplies brought by guards to go to Castle Black before we left. I have been watching over my good father to this day sending him shipments when the crown is stingy in their support. I will not let my good father suffer and the Wall is very important. Everyone will learn that real soon."

Lyra continued, "While we were there, I and Jorah castrated and beheaded two men after killing six others that tried kill Jorah and my lioness, so they could rape and kill me. We decimated them all together. I was even more angry because they killed two of my personal guards that I had with me for years. You see, I respect and care very much about my employees like friends after so long. They gave me everything in return that I gave to them. I treat them fairly with respect as I fought, bled, sparred, hunted and ate with my guards. They love my cooking, by the way. I pay them double wages, watch over their health, give them good food, drink and plenty of time in ports to do anything they need to in shifts. I suppose I treat my people better than most, but they are happy and I am happy with them because I can trust them."

Brienne said seriously, "You are a very unusual person indeed. I don't ever think I have met a leadership ran like yours. Most use iron fists and harsh punishments for misdeeds."

Lyra said seriously looking in her eyes, "Trust me, I have dropped a few men off at a port on their arses. My men are the ones that weed out the curs, liars and cruel bastards. There is zero tolerance in their eyes for disturbing the peace of a good environment and working relationship with their employer. They tell me if there is a need for discipline or complete disembarkment."

Brienne smiled and said, "You seem to have everything figured out."

Lyra said laughing, "Not yet, I'm still alive at thirty four name days old and it takes a full lifetime to achieve that." Brienne smiled, liking this woman because she was smart and kind, but no fool.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When the ship docked the next day around midday at Bear Island, Lyra, Shireen who was nervous and Brienne were standing at the rails of the ship. Lyra had been gone for 53 days by the time she got back.

She saw Jorah at the dock with her baby girl in his arms, their two boys and her eleven year old white lioness. The boys started shouting and waving at her. Jorah was smiling big telling Joanna that her mother was home and pointing at the dock for her to look. Joanna squealed with her arm out towards her.

Brienne said smiling, "It looks like you were missed very much." She thought what a happy bunch of people this Lord and Lady were.

Lyra said sentimentally, "Oh they were missed so very much in return too. Look at my poor lioness, Crystal, she is pacing."

Lyra pointed out her family to Shireen to see. Her husband and children were all bundled up in their furs calling out to her. Lyra said softly to her, holding both sides of her face, "That is your new family, my love. Come with me to meet them. We might get a bit affectionate, but you probably know by now that is how I am and we are. We all love one another very very much, so you are in a safe place to be loved, my little sweet girl." Shireen smiled at Lyra and hugged her.

Once the gangway was down and secured, Lyra had Shireen's hand and led her down to the docks with Brienne watching and following behind. Lyra was first engaged by Crystal. Lyra went down on her knees and was rubbed all over by the lion dressed in her fur coat with mittens on. Shireen stood back watching the lion a bit scared. Her family approached and Lyra went straight into Jorah's arms, kissing him deeply.

Jorah said softly, still holding Joanna who was touching her mother's face, "I have missed you so much, Lyra."

She said looking in his eyes, taking Joanna from him and caressing his face and lips with her fingers, "I know, my sweet darling patient man. I love you so much." The boys had their arms around her hips with their faces buried in her fur coat. She put her arm down patting them as she kissed her baby girl on the lips smiling and talking to her. Lyra crouched down, kissing, hugging her boys while caressing on their little faces. They excitedly told her things, making her giggle and smile at them. The lion was rubbing on her too. Jorah was standing over them all caressing Lyra's hair.

Shireen watched her reunite with her husband and children. She knew these people were all so happy together in a way she had never seen before.

Davos walked up behind her and said softly in her ear, "Look good, my girl. You have come to a wonderful home of loving people. The guards said to me the whole way that this place is filled with good people taking care of each other. Now go meet your new family, child. Don't be shy." He pushed her towards them.

Shireen slowly walked towards Lyra and her family. Lyra looked up at her from her crouched position and smiled at her holding out her free arm to her as she stood up. Shireen wrapped her arms around her waist.

Lyra said smiling and hugging the girl to her, "Look everyone, I brought you home a present. She is your new big sister named Shireen. Let's all go home and get warm and comfortable. So we can meet each other properly."

Brienne walked up and Lyra said, "I also brought home a new friend too. Come on everyone, let's go home and all get settled. You too, Ser Davos." Davos was surprised and carried his belongings with him. They all got on board The wagons and horses. The boys got on the wagons together grabbing Shireen by the hands taking her with them. Brienne and Davos joined them in the back of the wagon with blankets to cover up with. The wagons were loaded with everyone's belongings and the guards were all loading themselves up. Jorah put Lyra on the horse and handed Joanna up to her.

He said to the lioness, "Come on, Crystal, girl, follow us!" The lioness rubbed his leg making him chuckle. He mounted up behind Lyra and the baby. He wrapped his arm around Lyra's waist. They led the way to the Hall.

Jorah said softly in Lyra's ear, "I hate when you go away and I'm not with you, my love. Ned said you called yourself 'out of pocket' with me and made me laugh. You know how terribly lonely I get when I can't touch or kiss you? Things just don't feel right without you."

Lyra smiled and said softly to him, "I know, Jorah, but I had to save my little girl. She needed me desperately and I could never let anything that horrible happen to her. I couldn't live with myself."

Jorah said, rubbing his face on her head, "Your love has no boundaries for even others."

Joanna said looking in Lyra's eyes, "Mama, tiss. Tiss." Lyra smiled at her and kissed her baby girl on the lips. The baby giggled and Jorah smiled glad to have love back home with him and the children.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~302AC

Over the six moons, many things take place. Jon and Jeor struggled with the divided loyalties of the Night Watch as there were several beheadings and hangings, namely Jon's steward Olly. He did try to stab Jon for allowing the wildlings past the wall like Lyra warned him about. Jeor was also attacked by his men but with Jon's help and them both being forewarned by Lyra, they were looking for the signs and were able to stop it. They had not just 5,000 wildlings like before but she had them prepared ahead of time to collect the wildlings with more ships. They had saved 14,000 wildlings using all of Stannis' ships and it was before the Night King attacked so they were able to evacuate as many as possible this time with six giants instead of just WunWun.

Lyra had more food shipments sent north to Eastwatch from White Harbor because of the population up there. She collected from her ships from Bear Island which were quite a few now doing regular runs from Lannisport to both Bear Island and Deepwood Motte. She had made arrangements with Highgarden to have shipments to Lannisport to fill her ships as they arrived on schedule. She diverted soone to Deepwood Motte to go to Castle Black. Ned Stark helped her arrange it.

Basically, the North was taking care of the North and Castle Black through Winterfell and Bear Island. They knew what was coming and from where. Jon had Tormund keep his people fed and under control because they did not need to start trouble with the northern people when they were trying to help them.

Jon had got in an argument with Tormund and told him that his own personal family and good daughter of the Lord Commander was the one sending the food and supplies with the ships to help his people and the Night Watch men. She was paying for it all and knew what was coming because she was a greenseer that was the most beautiful, kindest woman he had ever known. He told him she had saved his family and thousands of people. Tormund groused to ask why she would care about his people. Jon told him that he could ask her when he got to meet her because she was coming to assess the situation in about a week.

Lyra had left the children in good care for two weeks. She hated to do it but Jorah wouldn't let her go to Castle Black without him. She was going to use magic to transport them this time from the mouth of the Milkwater River being it was just herself, Jorah and Crystal with their two horses and supplies. It would save time traveling and they could get back sooner to the children. They were staying at Castle Black for a week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jeor had been notified of Lyra and Jorah coming and had quarters ready for them. Lyra had transported them two miles away from the settlement of wildlings. They began the approach on horseback with Crystal in her heavy duty insulated booted mittens.

A large group of wildlings came up on them. Crystal growled low and Lyra said, "Guard Crystal." The cat stood in front of the horses as the group of about twenty men approached with bows and swords drawn.